There came then a soft rap on the door. It opened about six inches,
and a maid whispered.
"Wait!" ordered Yasmini. "Come through! Wait here!" She pulled the
maid through the door to the little back stair-head landing. "Did you
hear?" she hissed excitedly. "She says Kirby sahib has come, and
another with him!"
She was twitching with excitement. Her fingers clutched the
general's sleeve, and he found himself thinking of his youth. He
released her fingers gently and she spared a giggle for him.
"Bad business!" said the general again. "Kirby will ask questions
and go away; but the troopers of Ranjoor Singh's squadron will come
later, and they will not go away in such a hurry. You can fool
Colonel Kirby sahib, but you can not fool a hundred troopers!"
"No?" she purred. She had done thinking and was herself again,
impudent and artful. "I can fool anybody, and any thousand men! I
have sent Sita Ram already with a message to the troopers of Ranjoor
Singh's squadron. The message was supposed to be from him, and it was
worded just as he would have worded it. Presently Sita Ram will come
back, when he has helped himself to payment. Then I can send him with
yet another message.
"Go and put thoughts into the buffalo's head, General sahib, and be
quick! There must be a message--a written message from Ranjoor Singh
to Kirby sahib--and a token--forget not the token, in proof that the
writing is not forged! Forget not the token.
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